Understanding the proactive healthcare consumer

Healthcare has been in a state of flux in recent times. With the rise of the Affordable Care Act, everything is shifting towards personal accountability. Individuals, employers and health insurance companies are all making a bigger push for preventative healthcare measures. The new healthcare landscape demands higher deductibles and that means we're likely to see more people taking preventative steps, not just for the benefit of their health, but for financial reasons. Now even those who were already taking preventative healthcare steps are getting an extra push from their employers. Naturally these health-conscious consumers have become a highly-valuable audience for marketers. Wouldn't you like to know more about this group?

Quick Facts (Source: MARS Consumer Health Study)

51% of all U.S. adults say they participate in preventative healthcare

This group is slightly older, with a median age of 49

91% have health insurance

68% say they first try to remedy their illness with a non-prescription medicine before seeing a doctor

We know there is an increased desire for marketers to reach this group, but how do they respond to various ads? The good news is that when proactive consumers are exposed to healthcare ads through different media channels, many of them take action. However the actions taken vary based on the channel. Below are the top channels where proactive consumers report seeing healthcare advertising.

The effectiveness of advertising varies based on channel, but we do know that doctor’s offices are the most effective with 82% and 80% of Proactive Healthcare Consumers, respectively, stating they took an action as a result of seeing an ad in that location. Although these consumers are actively seeking information about their health, so there are many other opportunities to reach them with marketing messages.

Does your media plan account for proactive healthcare consumers? How are you targeting them? Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments and download our free 2015 Wellness Report

The 2015 MARS Consumer Health Study is the only dedicated, syndicated research in the healthcare industry that ties ailments, pharma brands, attitudes about healthcare and many other data points to consumers’ media consumption habits.